James Spanswick, who described himself as a cooper, residing at 16, Thomas-street, Lock's-fields, Thomas Brooks, and Charles
Mallen, three notorious housebreakers, and Eliza Spanswick, the wife of the first-named prisoner, were placed at the bar before
Mr. ELLIOTT on a charge of stealing 881b. weight of sealingwax, and 2001b. of twine, the property of Mr. James Terry,
cheesemonger, of 12, St. George's-place, Walworth-road, and which formerly belonged to the Postmaster-General.
Police-constable Richard Moss, 256 P, deposed that from information he received, he on the day before went to the house of the
prisoner Spanswick, 16, Thomas-street, Lock's-fields, and there found all the prisoners. He told the three men, who were in the
parlour, that they must consider themselves his prisoners, and he communicated the same intelligence to the woman, who was
upstairs, and took all into custody. On searching the house he found 27 duplicates, a picklock key, two centrebits, 881b.
of sealingwax, and 2001b. of twine, the two latter articles being concealed under a bed. He subsequently searched the house of
Mallen, in Amelia-street, Walworth, and there found 71 duplicates. On examining the premises he found that the back adjoined
the warehouse of Mr. Terry. He also observed that some bricks and tiles had been removed from the roof of the warehouse
sufficient for a person to enter, and found some sealingwax in the gutter, which had evidently been dropped there while it was being
taken away. He (Moss) had also omitted before to state that the life-preserver he produced he found in the house of Spanswick
The officer here produced the sealingwax and twine for the magistrate's inspection. The greater portion of the latter was in hanks
and perfectly fit for use, and the former was also fit for use, and some of the sticks had merely been lit, as if to give them the
semblance of being used.
Job White, 356 P, said that he accompanied Moss to the house of Spanswick, and, on searching it, found three street-door
skeleton keys and 12 picklock keys, one crowbar and screwdriver, one chisel, and a dark lantern, which had recently had a light
in it. These implements of housebreaking and house-entering were also exhibited to the magistrate, and nothing could be more
perfect or complete in their way.
Mr. James Terry, cheesemonger, of No. 12, St. George's-place, Walworth, deposed that he believed the twine and sealingwax
produced to be his. The weight of the sealingwax was 881b., and that of the twine 2001b., and he had purchased them from a
clerk in the General Post-office, whose perquisites they were as the refuse of the office.
Prisoner Mallen. - Refuse, your worship! Why, you will see a quantity of that twine in perfect hanks. It's no refuse, your worship.
Mr. ELLIOTT. - Well, that is so. A great portion of the twine seems very fit for use, and therefore I suspect there is something
wrong about it, and should recommend the officers to make inquiries at the Post-office into the matter. I much doubt whether
such things are permitted to be carried away as perquisites, and particularly in such quantities.
Mr. Terry, in continuation, said his warehouse had been broken into on Monday night, and the property produced carried away.
That warehouse was in Amelia-place, and it abutted on the back premises of the prisoner Mallen. In answer to a question of the
magistrate the witness said he had purchased the wax and twine on the 16th, and they were brought by the clerk, who
represented them as his perquisites, in a bag belonging to the Post-office.
The prisoner Spanswick said he had purchased the wax and cord, and neither Brooks, who was his lodger, nor Mallen knew
anything about it The other prisoners declared their innocence of the charge, and at the request of the officers engaged in the
case all were remanded to a future day.